Eastpointe certificate of occupancy to sell a home
Only in some cases. Eastpointe does not inspect an ordinary owner-occupied resale, but it does require a certificate of compliance (vacant structure); rental certificate in these situations: Rentals must be certified before tenants occupy (certificate may transfer to a new owner who registers within 14 days of purchase), and registered vacant structures need a certificate of compliance before re-occupancy; official pages show no pre-sale inspection for an ordinary owner-occupied resale.
Verified against Rental Information - City of Eastpointe Building Department on October 27, 2026. Fees, forms and timelines are set by the city and change without notice. Confirm with the Building Department before you list, sign or close; this page is general information from a licensed broker, not legal advice, and Match Realty is not responsible for decisions made in reliance on it.
The Eastpointe rule at a glance
| Required to sell? | Limited cases |
|---|---|
| What the city calls it | Certificate of Compliance (vacant structure); Rental Certificate |
| When it applies | Rentals must be certified before tenants occupy (certificate may transfer to a new owner who registers within 14 days of purchase), and registered vacant structures need a certificate of compliance before re-occupancy; official pages show no pre-sale inspection for an ordinary owner-occupied resale. |
| Department | Building Department |
| Phone | 586-445-3661 opt 2 (Building Official John Meyers 586-204-3022) |
Eastpointe requirements (official) · Application / form · City website
“The building(s) shall not be re-occupied until a certificate of compliance is issued by the Building Department.” — Eastpointe, Rental Information - City of Eastpointe Building Department
What this means for your closing
For a typical owner-occupied sale nothing is owed to the city. If the home falls into one of the cases above, treat it like a required city: order the inspection the week of listing and ask about temporary certificates and repair escrows.
The tax bill changes hands too: after a sale the taxable value uncaps, so the buyer's bill is not the seller's. See Eastpointe property taxes for the 2025 millage and the uncapped bill on a $350,000 home. For the state transfer tax owed at closing, use the Michigan transfer tax calculator.
Nearby in Macomb County
- Lenox Township Limited cases
- Macomb Township Limited cases
- Mount Clemens Limited cases
- Roseville Limited cases
- Saint Clair Shores Limited cases
- Shelby Township Limited cases
- Sterling Heights Limited cases
- Utica Limited cases
- Warren Limited cases
All Macomb County municipalities are on the C of O hub.
Common questions
Do I need a certificate of occupancy to sell a house in Eastpointe?
Not for an ordinary owner-occupied resale. Eastpointe requires a certificate of compliance (vacant structure); rental certificate only when: Rentals must be certified before tenants occupy (certificate may transfer to a new owner who registers within 14 days of purchase), and registered vacant structures need a certificate of compliance before re-occupancy; official pages show no pre-sale inspection for an ordinary owner-occupied resale..
What is a point-of-sale (pre-sale) inspection in Eastpointe?
It is the same thing as the certificate of compliance (vacant structure); rental certificate requirement: a city inspector checks the home against the property-maintenance code before the sale closes or the new owner moves in, and the city issues a certificate (or a temporary one with repairs escrowed) when it passes. Michigan has no statewide rule; each city or township sets its own, which is why Eastpointe's answer differs from its neighbours'.
Is this Eastpointe information current?
It was read from Eastpointe's own published requirements on October 27, 2026, and that source page is re-checked automatically every week. Cities change fees and forms without notice, so confirm with the Building Department before you rely on it.
Point-of-sale and certificate-of-occupancy rules are local ordinances. Match Realty LLC compiles them from each municipality's own publications and does not guarantee completeness or accuracy. Always verify with the municipality. This page is general information from a licensed broker, not legal advice.